Garment-folding device.



N0. 7D3,H0. Patented June 24, [902.

' J. M. BEIERMEISTER.

GARMENT FOLDING DEVICE.

(Application filed Mar. 12, 1902.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

YHE uomus PEIERS m-ib oumou WASHINGTON, a. c.

No. 703,!l0. Patented June 24, I902.

. J. M. BEIERMEISTER.

GARMENT FOLDING DEVICE.

(Application filed Mar. 12. 1902.)

(No Model.) 2 Shats-$heat 2.

v v T M k o A:

w N M A i *iow zfmaaaaw Eran/tar:

m: NORRIS PETERS 50., normmmcn WASHKNGTON, n. (1

2O garments.

UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN M. BEIERMEISTER, OF TROY, NElV YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE FIRM OF BEIERMEISTER BROS. d: 00., OF OOHOES, NE\V YORK.

GARMENT "FOLDING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 703,110, dated June 24:, 1902.

Application filed March 12,1902. $erial No. 97,805. (No modehl' r combination of parts hereinafter described and subsequently claimed.

Reference may be had to the accompanying drawings, and the reference characters marked thereon, which form a part of this 1 specification.

Similar characters refer to similar parts in the several figures.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a view in perspective of my improved folding-form for Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same opened out flat with a shirt superposed upon the back plate or member. Fig. 3 is a similar view with the front plate folded over upon the bosom portion of the shirt. Fig. 4 is a 2 5 similar view showing thefolding-form with the shirt clamped thereby inverted and one sleeve and side portion of the shirt-body folded back over the back plate. Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the shirt fully folded upon the form. Fig. 6 is a frontplan view of the folded shirt upon the form, the latter being open and partly Withdrawn from the folded shirt.

In preparing for the trade various gar- 3 5 ments, such as underwear and shirts of various kinds, it is customary to more or less neatly fold each garment to general rectangular form, and more particularly in the manufacture and laundering of mens shirts 0 to secure the folded garment by means of pins, so that it will retain its folded form during the manipulation incidental to its trans mission and sale. The degree of accuracy with which the garment is folded makes or mars its symmetry and adds to or detracts same comprising a pair of hinge-connected members adapted to receive and clamp between them portions of the garment and form a guide for folding other portions of the garment over upon the clamped portion.

The members of the form are in the shape of plates or leaves, the back plate 1 being connected with the front plate 2 by the hinge connections 3.

The form shown is particularly adapted for folding mens shirts, and I have shown in the drawings a mans shirt in various stages of the folding operation.

In applying the garment to the form the plates are opened out into the same plane and placed upon a table or other fiat surface. The shirt 4c is then superposed, front upward, upon the back plate 1 of the form, as shown in Fig. 2, and the front plate swung over upon the front or bosom portion of the shirt, as shown in Fig. Before the front plate is forced tightly down upon the shirt the latter is adjusted between the form-plates, so that the form will be properly located or centered upon the garment, only the middle portions of the back and front of the shirt being inclosed and clamped between the formplates.

For use in folding mens shirts and the like I prefer to provide the front plate 2 with an aperture 5 near its hinged end adapted to receive the neckband 6 of the shirt and with a slot 7 adapted to register with indicia on the front of the shirt when the form is properly placed upon the garment. The indicia on the shirt-front are thus used as a guide in placing the form, and the slot 7may be formed in any portion of the front plate 2, adapted to register With a definitely-located device on the shirt-front adapted to thus serve as a guide.

For use in folding neglige shirts I prefer to have the slot 7 extend along the longitudinal middle of the front plate in position to register with the shirt-buttons 8, as shown, the buttons when seen through the slot serving to indicate the proper placing of the form.

When properly placed, the form is closed tightly upon the garment to clamp the same between the front and back plates, and the form and clamped garment are together in verted upon the table and the projecting portions of the shirt are foldedover upon the back plate 1. In thus folding such projecting portions of the shirt the body portion along one side is first folded over the neighboring side edge of the back plate and the attached sleeve retroverted thereupon,as shown in Fig. 4, and then the body portion along the other side is folded in like manner, after which the skirt portions of the shirt are folded over the bottom edge of the back plate to the position shown in Fig. 5 and secured to the shoulder portions by pins 9. The 1 form is then opened and removed by swinging the front plate away from the bosom and slipping the back plate out from between the folded portions of the shirt, as shown in Fig. 6, the pins 9 serving to retain from displacement the folded portions of the garment.

By means of my improved form I am able to accurately locate the fold-lines on opposite sides of the bosom and to secure uniformity in width and length of the folded product, facilitating packing the same.

The folds are sharply formed and the foldlines not easily removed, insuring permanency of the folded shape until the garment is opened for use.

The use of my improved form also greatly facilitates the folding operation, an unskilled operator being thereby enabled to fold garments with accuracy and despatch.

The form-plates may be made of sheet metal or other desired material, and by varying the shape and size of the plates garments may be folded to any shape and size desired.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. A garment-folding form comprising connected front and back members adapted to receive between them portions of the body of the garment, one of said members being provided with a slot adapted to register with in dicia on the garment when the form is prop' erly applied thereto.

2. A garment-folding form comprising a pair of hinge-connected members adapted to receive between them the middle portion of the back and bosom of a garment, one of said members being provided near its hinged end with an aperture adapted to receive the neckband of the garment.

3. A garment-folding form comprising a pair of hinge-connected members adapted to receive between them portions of the back and bosom of a garment, one of said members hein g provided with a longitudinal slot adapted to register with and receive the buttons on the front of the garment, and adjacent to its hinge connection with an aperture adapted to receive the neckband of the garment.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 7th day of March, 1902.

JOHN M. BEIERMEISTER.

Witnesses:

FRANK O. CURTIS, E. M. OREILLY. 

